Baucus Reform White Paper

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) released a formal "White Paper" outline of health care reform options on Wednesday, Nov 12th, 2008.  The outline is reasonably complimentary to the discussions taking place with Senate HELP Committee Chairman Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and his staff (note: no one has signed off on anything yet, least of all "shared responsibility") - thus lending credence to the view that a "one-bill" strategy may avoid the traditional health care reform scrum between the two committees.  Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), ranking minority on the HELP committee, is seeking an additional seat on the Finance Committee - which would also boost positive reform chances next year.

 

Baucus will likely call for universal coverage with shared responsibility for financing between employers, individuals and government.  He will likely call for new pooling arrangements to spread risk, reduce the growth in health care costs and to focus more heavily on prevantative health care.

 

Refer to pages 39-40, for mention of Patient Centered Medical Homes.

 

To view a copy of Senator Baucus' "White Paper" please click here.